Tag Archives: Spain

European Train Tour #1 – Spain

Europe is a wonderful continent. Culturally & geographically diverse and incredibly easy to navigate from the Arctic to the Mediterranean or even the Atlantic to the Pacific. The best way to explore the region is by train with a vast network of train tracks criss-crossing the continent, connecting amazing cities and countries. Arm yourself with […]

A Brisk Basque Visit Part Two – San Sebastián

Our apartment was easy to find and entry was keyless by app. Even lock boxes have become redundant it seems. We picked up some supplies in a local shop and just stayed in after a long day. San Sebastián is on the notorious Bay of Biscay but has some very pleasant beaches as well as […]

A Brisk Basque Visit – Part One, Bilbao

When our favourite footballer moved to play in San Sebastián we hatched a plot to go and see him play. David Silva is the footballer in question and as he is now 37 the time was right, so we booked tickets to their end of season game against Sevilla. There was however to be two […]

Monday Morning Blues – Port Olimpic, Barcelona

Barcelona waterfront was redeveloped for the 1992 Olympics, an area that I first stayed by in 2000 on our honeymoon. It is an area choc full of lovely fish restaurants and a scattering of pricey hotels. The hop on hop off buses also head there. Well worth a stop to walk barefoot in the sand […]

Tuesday Train Journey – Santiago de Compostela to Madrid in Spain

This year every Tuesday I will be recounting an overseas train journey. It could be a short hop or a long-distance overnighter. Every journey is special to me – the greatest way to travel by far. In 2012 Mrs Wilbur and I undertook a mini train tour of Spain taking in Santiago de Compostela, Córdoba, […]

Euro 2020 Semi-Final 1 – Spain v Italy

The two giants of European football do battle at Wembley tonight with a place in Sunday’s final at stake. Spain Segovia is a fabulous destination in Spain. It is an easy train ride from Madrid and you can easily spend 3-days here without getting in the slightest bit bored. The cathedral is a masterpiece and […]

Euro 2020 Quarter Final 1 – Spain v Switzerland

Now it starts to get serious. Three wins away from becoming European champions. Both these nations needed extra time to go through, with Switzerland also needing penalties to defeat favourites France. The match takes place in St Petersburg. Spain Many Basques do not consider themselves as Spanish. The language & culture are certainly much removed […]

Euro 2020 Match Day 16 – Croatia v Spain

Copenhagen plays host to the first last 16 tie of the day. Croatia On my 2015 Balkans train tour we found ourselves in Ploce. Having left the delights of Split we were hoping for another version of the same to wile away a couple of hours before catching a train to Sarajevo. Instead we found […]

Bratislava, Slovakia

Euro 2020 Match Day 13 – Slovakia v Spain

Can Spain finally get a win in Seville or could they inexplicably be bowing out early? Slovakia I would definitely recommend spending a day or two in the Slovak capital. Why not travel by boat along the Danube from Vienna? You will find a very nice cobbled old town with lots of restaurants to sit […]

Euro 2020 Match Day 9 – Spain v Poland

The day’s final game throws up a ‘Catholic derby’ is played in the wonderful city of Seville. Spain The Moorish city of Córdoba in Andalusia is an absolute gem. It’s undoubted star is the Mezquita, constructed around 785AD at the behest of Abd ar-Rahman I. Córdoba was the capital of the Muslim-controlled region of Al-Andalus. […]